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Ayurveda Multi Speciality Medical College Hospital
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Ayurveda Multi Speciality Medical College Hospital
ULCER
Ulcers are sores that are slow to heal or keep returning. They can take many forms and can appear both inside and outside the body. An ulcer is a lesion or sore on the skin or mucous membrane resulting from the gradual disintegration of surface epithelial tissue. It may be superficial, or it may extend into the deeper layer of the skin or other underlying tissue. An ulcer has a depressed floor or crater surrounded by sharply defined edges that are sometimes elevated above the level of the adjoining surface.
The main symptom of an ulcer is pain.
CAUSES
The main causes of ulcers are:
Bacterial infections such as tuberculosis or syphilis can cause ulcers on any surface of the body. Any infection under the skin, such as a boil or carbuncle, may break through the surface and form an inflammatory ulcer.
The ulcers on the legs of persons with varicose veins are caused by the slow circulation of the blood in the skin.
Diabetics may sustain ulcers on their feet or toes after losing sensation in those areas due to nervous system damage.
A bedsore, or decubitus ulcer, typically occurs on the skin of the back in immobilized or bedridden persons.
A peptic ulcer occurs in the stomach or the first segment of the duodenum, parts of the intestinal tract that are bathed by gastric juice.
Ulcers can also result from burns, electric burns, and frostbite.
Injuries, diseases, and infections can cause them.
Arterial Ulcers
Arterial (ischemic) ulcers are open sores that primarily develop on the smaller side of arterioles and capillaries, most often around the outer side of your ankle, feet, toes, and heels.
Arterial ulcers develop from damage to the arteries due to a lack of blood flow to the tissue. Arterial ulcers are also sometimes found in the gut in individuals who are ill and have poor blood pressure in general.
These forms of ulcers can take months to heal and require proper treatment to prevent infection and further complications.
Arterial ulcers have a “punched out” appearance accompanied by several symptoms, including:
Treatment for arterial ulcers depends on the underlying cause. Primary treatment includes restoring blood circulation to the affected area.
While antibiotics may help reduce symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery to increase blood flow to your tissues and organs. In more severe circumstances, your doctor may recommend amputation.
Leg and Foot Ulcers
These can be painful and may take months to heal. They vary in how they look, from red splotches that ooze to darkened patches of swollen skin.
Diabetes can cause nerve and blood flow problems that lead to ulcers. They usually show up on your feet. When you have diabetes, it’s best to check your feet for even minor injuries every day.
Venous Ulcers
Venous ulcers — the most common type of leg ulcers — are open wounds that often form on your leg, below your knee, and on the inner area of your ankle. They typically develop from damage to your veins caused by insufficient blood flow back to your heart.
In some cases, venous ulcers cause little to no pain unless they’re infected. Other cases of this condition can be very painful.
Other symptoms you may experience include:
Venous ulcers can take months to fully heal. In rare cases, they may never heal. Treatment focuses on improving flow to the affected area. Antibiotics can help prevent infection and reduce symptoms, but they aren’t enough to heal venous ulcers.
Alongside medication, your doctor may recommend surgery or compression therapy to increase blood flow.
Bedsores
Also called pressure ulcers or pressure sores, at first, they just look like off-color skin. Over time, though, they can grow into deep, open wounds.
Corneal Ulcers
These show up on the cornea, which is the surface of your eye. They may cause redness and pain, and you may feel like you have something stuck in your eye.
Stomach Ulcers
One type of ulcer you can’t see is a peptic ulcer. You can get them in your stomach or the upper part of your small intestine. For most people, stomach pain is the first clue they have one.
Peptic Ulcers
Peptic ulcers are sores or wounds that can develop on:
They form when digestive juices damage the walls of your stomach or intestine. These ulcers are quite common.
Peptic ulcers are most often caused by inflammation after contracting Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria or through long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
There are two types of peptic ulcers:
The most common symptom of this condition1 is a burning sensation. Other symptoms may include:
Treatment depends on the underlying cause of your ulcer. If you have an H. pylori infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to kill the harmful bacteria.
For the majority of peptic ulcer cases, acid-lowering medication regimens are generally prescribed to help protect the mucosal lining from stomach acid so it has time to heal.
Mouth Ulcers
Also called canker sores, these small, round sores may be red, yellow, or gray. They show up inside your cheeks and lips, as well as on your tongue and gums. They’re different from cold sores that you may get around the outside of your mouth.
These ulcers are triggered by several causes, including:
Mouth ulcers are common and often go away within 2 weeks. They can be uncomfortable but shouldn’t cause significant pain. If a mouth ulcer is extremely painful or doesn’t go away within 2 weeks, seek immediate medical attention.
Minor mouth ulcers appear as small, round ulcers that leave no scarring. In more severe cases, they can develop into larger and deeper wounds.
Other serious symptoms associated with this type of ulcer may include:
Mouth ulcers often go away on their own without treatment. If they become painful, your doctor or dentist may prescribe an antimicrobial mouthwash or ointment to reduce your discomfort.
Genital Ulcers
Genital ulcers are sores that develop on genital areas, including the penis, vagina, anus, or surrounding areas.
They are usually caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but genital ulcers can also be triggered by trauma, inflammatory diseases, or even, in some cases, an Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) infection.
In addition to sores, symptoms that may accompany genital ulcers include:
Similar to other types of ulcers, treatment depends on the underlying cause of your condition. In some cases, these sores will go away on their own. If diagnosed with an STI, your doctor may prescribe antiviral or antibiotic medication or ointment. If you feel you’ve been exposed to an STI, seek immediate medical attention.
Early Signs of Ulcer:
Diagnosing Ulcers
Ulcers can easily be identified by a licensed medical practitioner. The most common ways to diagnose ulcers are through physical examination, blood tests, and imaging.
Physical Examination
Physical examination is the quickest and easiest method to diagnose ulcers. Physicians examine the skin of their patient to identify potential lesions. Because certain ulcers only appear in certain areas, a physical examination may be the only diagnostic test needed to identify an ulcer and its cause. However, gastric ulcers or those that arise from more serious underlying issues may need more invasive diagnostic tests.
Vrana Chikitsa (Wound Management) as per Sushruta
Sushruta describes sixty methods of treatment (Su. Chi. 1/8):
Address
Ashtamgam Ayurveda Chikitsalayam,
4/495A, Vavanoor, Koottanad
Palakkad, Dt. – 679 533
Kerala, India.
Tel: +91 466 237 2000
Mob: +91 828 137 2000
Our Location
To reach Ashtamgam Ayurveda Chikitsalayam, proceed along Pattambi Road from Koottanad Take a deviation at Vavannoor junction, from where Ashtamgam is just 1 km away.
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